Miniature rose plant named ‘SAVaworry’

ABSTRACT

‘SAVaworry’ is a new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant, primarily identified by its semi-double, yellow flowers, edge with a shade of red, on a low growing plant, having many prickles. The flowers open to fully expose beautiful dark yellow stamens. The mature plant seems to always be in bloom form late spring to mid autumn. In low light conditions the plant will still produce flowers but it will loose any red coloration and be a lighter shade of yellow. ‘SAVaworry’ will grow and bloom well in the greenhouse or outdoors, in the ground or in containers. When grown in full sun, the bright colors provide a bright spot of decoration.

CROSS REFERENCE

The rose in this same breeding program that most closely resembles thisnew invention is ‘Poker Chip’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,582, expired). Theplant habits of these two plants are similar, both being well branchedand growing twelve to fifteen inches tall and about two feet wide. Bothhave flowers of red and yellow. The diameter of the open bloom on ‘PokerChip’ is 1¾ inches and on this new invention is 1½ inches. Thedifferences are in petal count, ‘Poker Chip’ having twenty-five tothirty petals and the new invention having ten to fourteen, plus thecoloration of those petals. The abaxial surface of both is yellow butthe upper surface of ‘Poker Chip’ is primarily red while the uppersurface of this new invention is yellow with red near the margins. Therelationship between these two plants is with both the seed parent andpollen parent. The seed-parent of the seed-parents of both cultivars is‘Little Darling’, U.S. Pat. No. 1,581, expired. The pollen parentage ofboth cultivars is also similar: The pollen parent of the new inventionis ‘SAVachild’, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,175), whose parentage is ‘YellowJewel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,827) by ‘MEIdanu’ (not patented in theUnited States). The pollen parent of ‘Poker Chip’ is an unnamed seedlingof the same cross, ‘Yellow Jewel’ by ‘MEIdanu’.

Genus and species: Rosa hybrida ‘minima’.

Varietal denomination: ‘SAVaworry’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of hardy,bush type plant of the miniature rose class. This variety was created bymyself, Wendy R. White, under controlled conditions in a greenhouse inRowley, Mass., by crossing as seed parent the variety known as‘MORsegold’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,617) with the variety known as‘SAVachild’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,175) as pollen parent.

The idyllic goals of this breeding program were to create uniqueminiature roses with the qualities of disease resistance, hardiness,exhibition, hybrid tea form blooms born in abundance from late spring tolate fall, and fragrance. The cultivar chosen as seed parent is knownfor its above average disease resistance and quantity of bloomproduction on a vigorous plant. The cultivar chosen as pollen parent isknown for its award winning, exhibition, hybrid tea form blooms on anaward winning plant. Fragrance was not factored into this cross. Theresulting new cultivar has the disease resistance and vigor of‘MORsegold’ with the color-markings and flower form of ‘SAVachild’, andcombines the colors of the two, being yellow like ‘MORsegold’ but withthe red edges similar to ‘SAVachild’. The new cultivar has a low andspreading plant habit similar to ‘MORsegold’ but carries its flowers onstronger stems as on ‘SAVachild’. The new cultivar has fewer petals thaneither parent.

Asexual reproduction by cuttings of this new cultivar in Rowley, Mass.,and Arroyo Grande, Calif., shows that all distinguishing characteristicsof this rose continually come true to form.

BREIF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new, distinct and low growing varietyof hardy, bush type, miniature rose plant, which is primarilycharacterized by its semi-double, yellow flowers, edged with a shade ofred when grown in full sun. The characteristics distinguishing it fromall other varieties of which I am aware, besides the color of itssemi-double flowers, are the size of those flowers and its low-growing,upright yet spreading plant habit. The variety is further characterizedby:

-   -   flowers that open fully to expose dark yellow stamens;    -   numerous prickles, soft on the young growth, in a manner similar        to its seed parent, ‘MORsegold’;    -   medium to dark-green foliage;    -   repeat to near continuous bloom from late spring to mid-fall;    -   flowers with little to no red coloring in low light levels;    -   a plant that grows and blooms satisfactorily both in the        greenhouse and outdoors, providing decoration in the garden or        containers.

BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing is stems of ‘SAVaworry’ grown under plastic inArroyo Grande, Calif., taken in natural daylight; the bottom image is abud as sepals start to divide, taken in artificial lighting.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations, measurements, values and comparisonsdescribe four and five year old plants of Rosa hybrida minima,‘SAVaworry’, of the miniature rose class, grown in 3, 8 and 10-inchplastic nursery containers in artificial soil mix in plastic coveredhouses in Arroyo Grande, Calif. Color references are made using TheRoyal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, except wherecommon terms of color are used.

FLOWERS

Blooming habit is rapid repeat bloom, always having at least a fewflowers open on the mature plant. Most of the flowers are borne singlybut also in small clusters of two to four.

Bud form is ovate with an acute apex. The diameter and height are nearlyequal just before the sepals divide, between 6/16 and 7/16 inch wide and7/16 to 8/16 inch high.

Sepals: The flower has five sepals. The color of their outer surfaces isa medium to dark green, nearest 144A suffused with near 137A, and with abasal area of near 144A. They may be flushed with a grayed-red. Theinner surface is a medium shade of green between 191B, from theGreyed-Green Group, and 139C, with a tomentose covering.

The two outermost sepals have attenuate apices. Length varies from 25/32inch to 1 3/32 inches, with the usual length of about 1 inch. Width atthe widest point is usually ¼ inch. The margin is ciliate. Their outersurface is pilose along the center, has stipitate glands in the basalarea and may have glands randomly dotting the surface. There are one ortwo linear appendages, each tipped with a gland, along each margin.Sometimes these appendages appear as a single stipe, usually tipped witha gland. The foliar appendages have no hairs but may have a stipitategland on them.

The two innermost sepals have acuminate apices. They are uniformly 15/16inch long and 9/32 inch wide. Ciliata along the margins is heavier thanon the outermost sepals and there is a heavier amount of hairs along themargins of the outer surface that decreases in amount towards thecenter. Margins are entire with no foliar appendages but mayoccasionally have a stipitate gland.

The one sepal in-between the inner and outer sepals has an attenuateapex and displays characteristics of both the inner and outer sepals,dividing down the center but with the basal area more like that of theinner sepals, having no stipitate glands. Length varies from 29/32 to 11/32 inches and width varies from 17/64 inch to 19/64 inch.

Sepals roll back ahead of the petals to near parallel with the stem withthe tips recurved outward. When the petals drop the sepals return to asixty-five to seventy-five degree angle with the stem, and remainingattached to the receptacle.

The receptacle is urceolate with a smooth, semi-glossy surface of amedium green, between 138A and 144A. The diameter is 5/16 inch andbetween 11/32 and 12/32 inch in height. Short, appressed, soft hairs arescattered on the surface. The surface on the top of the receptacle isglabrous with a diameter of 9/32 to 10/32 inch. The color is a lightyellow-green, nearest 154C.

Peduncles are straight and strong. Anthocyanin coloring is absent. Thesurface is semi-glossy and a darker green than the receptacle, near146A. The surface has very fine, short appressed hairs and a smatteringof stipitate glands. The length of the peduncles varies from ⅞ inch to 11/16 inches but has been measured as short as 25/32 inch. The diameteris most often around 3/32 inch varying from 5/64 to 7/64 inch but havingbeen measured as large as both ⅛ inch and 5/32 inch. There is usually apair of three-leaflet leaves at the base but occasionally one is only asingle-leaflet leaf.

Bloom size, when fully expanded, is usually around 1½ inches in diameterand about 1 inch deep. The upper and lower profiles of the open bloomare flattened convex. Petalage ranges from ten to fourteen petals withtwo to seven petaloides. Most often there are twelve or thirteen petalsand two to four petaloides. Fragrance is slight.

Petals are thick with a velvety upper surface and satiny lower surface.The shape of the outer petals is broad spatulate, the intermediatepetals are a broad, ovato-rotundate, and the innermost petals arenarrower and obovate. The outer margins are arcuate. The six outermostpetals have cuspidate apices and the remaining inner petals areemarginated. The bases of the petals are cuneate with the outer petalshaving broader cuneal bases. The width of the outermost petals rangesfrom ¾ to 1 inch with the width of the individual petals on each flowervarying by 1/32 or 1/16 inch. Their length ranges from 1 2/16 to 1 3/16inches plus the apex extending an additional 1/16 inch. Petals areimbricated.

Color of the flowers is very dependent on the intensity of the light.These observations were taken from plants grown with exposure to directsunlight, through greenhouse roofs that open. When the intensity oflight is less, the colors become less intense, respectively, and the redcoloration disappearing entirely at low light levels.

The petals during the first few days are a dark red-orange, nearest 34A,along the outer edges of the petals and becoming near 33A, Capsicum Red,as it blends in with the Straw Yellow, near 13C. The basal area isdarker, Lemon Yellow, near 13B, and the point of attachment is near 13A.The reverse is near 13B and near 45A, from the Red Group, only on themargin. The point of attachment is near 13A. Any streaks on the reversewhere the petals were exposed to the sun when the sepals first dividedare nearest 45A.

When half blown, along the margins of the upper surface, the colorlightens to a red between 52A and 53D. The yellow coloring remainsunchanged. The reverse lightens a little, overall, to near 13D, withnear 53C, Cardinal red, along the margins, a basal area near 13C andnear 13B at the point of attachment.

As the blooms age, the upper surfaces are nearest 53D along the marginand becoming lighter, nearest 52B, Carmine, as it proceeds aboutone-third of the way into the petal, mixing with near 13D. The basalarea is nearest 13C and the point of attachment is nearest 13B. Thereverse is Aureolin, near 12D, with the basal area and point ofattachment near 12B, and Crimson, nearest 52A, feathering in from themargin. Streaks on the reverse where the petals were exposed to the sunare nearest 52A.

Petaloides have the same color and texture as the petals. The width isvariable, up to ½ inch at their widest point and ½ to ¾ inch long whenthey are as only half a petal, lengthwise; or 3/32 to 5/32 inch wide andbetween ¼ to ⅜ inch long when gnarled or occasionally epipetalous. Outermargins are either retuse or scalloped.

PLANT

The plant has good vigor and is uniformly branched. It will grow 10 to14 inches tall and two feet or more wide. Lengths of the flowering stemsrange from 3⅛ inches to 9½ inches to the base of the peduncle. The usuallengths are 3⅛ inches when borne in clusters and about 8 inches whenborne singly.

Foliage is pinnately compound, generally, with seven leaflets butoccasionally with three or five. On the seven-leaflet leaves, the basalleaflets are not always opposite or one may be absent. There aregenerally four to seven leaves per stem. Spacing of the leaves on themain stalks generally increases progressing up the stem, from near ⅜inch, 13/16 inch, ¾ inch, 1 inch and finally to 1½ inches. Spacing onprimary laterals has been measured at 9/16 inch, 9/16 inch and ⅞ inch;and ½ inch, ⅞ inch and ¾ inch. Spacing on secondary laterals fluctuatesrandomly between ¾ and 1¼ inches. Spacing on candelabra stems, thoseoriginating from the base of the plant, are uniformly 1½ inches. Thelength of most mature leaves is 3 3/16 inches whether it has five orseven leaflets, from attachment to stem to tip of terminal leaflet. Theseven-leaflet leaf may be as much as 3 5/16 inches long. The length ofthe three leaflet leaves varies between 2 3/16 and 3⅛ inches.

Leaflets are ovate with an acuminate apex and oval base. On aseven-leaflet leaf, the terminal leaflet measures between 11/16 and13/16 inch wide and 1 5/16 inches long. On a five-leaflet leaf, theterminal leaflet measures from 11/16 to 13/16 inches wide and from 1¼ to1 9/16 inches long. The margin has simple serration with a gland orstipitate gland at the tip of each serrate. The upper surface of the newfoliage is glossy and mature foliage is semi-glossy; the under surfaceis matte. Both surfaces are glabrous. The main vein protrudes, almostentirely, on the underside of the leaflets and is recessed on the uppersurface. Primary lateral veins only protrude some on the under surfaceand are also recessed on the upper surface. Secondary lateral veins arerecessed on the abaxial surface only and are not visible on the uppersurface.

Color of the new foliage is a dark green, nearest 137A, and flushed withnear 181A from the Greyed-Red Group. Margins are also near 181A. Theunderside of the new foliage is a lighter yellowed-green, nearest 148B,and flushed lightly with near 181C. The anthocyanin coloring is absentform the older leaflets. The upper surface is a very darkyellowed-green, nearest 147A, and the under surface is nearest 147B.

Petioles appear a grayed-red, nearest 178A, and almost translucent, onthe young growth. On mature leaves the color along the ridges is a deepyellowed-green, near 147A, with the grooves being considerably lighter,near 147D, and lightly flushed with reddish anthocyanin coloration.Along the ridges of the adaxial surface, there are a few stipitateglands, often paired, and a few hairs where the uppermost portion of thestipules is connected. There may be a few hairs in the groove. Theabaxial surface is glabrous. The length of the petioles ranges from18/32 to 23/32 inch on the seven leaflet-leaves and from 10/16 to 13/16inch on five leaflet leaves. Diameter is 1/16 inch.

The rachis varies in length from 11/16 inch to 1 3/64 inches regardlessof whether the leaf has five or seven leaflets. The most common lengthis slightly less than one inch. The color is the same as that of thepetioles. The ridges of the rachis may have a few stipitate glands. Thegroove generally has a few hairs but with a tuft of hairs at thejuncture of the petiolules, except those going to the basal leaflets,where there are generally only a few. There may be stipitate glandsaround the tufts. At the base of each petiolule, except those going tothe basal leaflets, there are a few single hairs surrounding the basewhere it is attached to the rachis.

Petiolules are the same color as the petiole and rachis but without anyanthocyanin coloring in the groove on mature leaves. The length to theterminal leaflet varies from 12/32 to 15/32 inch. The length to thefirst pair of leaflets below the terminal leaflet varies from 2/32 to3/32 inch. The length the petiolules to the second set of leafletsvaries from 3/64 to 4/64. The length of the petiolules to the basalleaflets is generally 5/64 inch. The ridges may have a few stipitateglands, may have one or a pair proceeding just down from the leaflets asif continuing from those on the serrates, may have many stipitate glandsnear evenly spaced, or may be glabrous. The grooves may have a few hairsor may be glabrous. The abaxial surface is glabrous.

Stipules recurve backward along the margin. Margins are slightlyundulant and lined with near evenly spaced stipitate glands. The glandshave a reddish, anthocyanin coloring. On the seven-leaflet leaves, thestipules are in even pairs attached to the base of the petiole for 6/16to 7/16 inch and then angled out at about a forty-five degree angle fromthe petiole for an additional 3/32 to 4/32 inch. When there are fewerthan seven leaflets on the leaf, the stipules are often attached inuneven pairs. Their length varies from 11/32 to ½ inch attached andangled out for an additional 2/16 to 3/16 inch. The length attached mayvary by up to 3/32 inch in each pair. The color of the adaxial surfaceis between 144A and 138A. The reverse is darker and more yellowed, near146B.

WOOD

The diameter of the main stems ranges from ¼ to 5/16 inch. The diameterof the primary laterals ranges from 6/32 to 7/32 inch and the diameterof the flowering stem ranges from 5/64 to 7/64 inch. The color of theyoung canes is near 146A and may be flushed with near 183A from theGreyed-Purple Group. The older canes are nearest 137B. There arenumerous prickles and lenticels.

Lenticels start forming on the main canes and primarily laterals in thefirst year of growth. When young the color is nearest 166C and when oldbecomes near 177C, both from the Greyed-Orange Group.

Prickles mature to a color near that of the lenticels, near 166A or166B. When young their color is near 187D at the base and having lessPayne's gray, near 184C at the top, both colors are from theGreyed-Purple Group. At an intermediate age the color is agrayed-orange, between 165B and 166C. The form is most often slightlyangled downward with a slight arcuate profile, and tapered evenly to apoint. The quantity on the main stalk is about fifteen in three inches,increasing in quantity, upward and sunward. Quantity on primary lateralsis around thirty-five in three inches, also with the highest quantitybeing upward and sunward. On secondary laterals the quantity varies fromnine in two inches to fifteen in two inches or twenty-one in threeinches. On flowering stems the quantity varies from seven to eleven intwo and one-half inches of stem. The length on main canes and primarylaterals varies from 5/32 and 6/32 inch; on secondary laterals,randomly, from 1/16 to ¼ inch; on flowering stems from 3/32 or 5/32inch; and up to 5/16 inch on candelabra canes. The length of the linearbase is near equal the length of the prickles on the candelabras andflowering stems, only. The length of the bases on other growth seemsentirely random. The prickles on the rachis are nearest 159D, from theOrange-White Group, and nearly translucent.

Resistance to downey and powdery mildew is slightly above average. Norust has been observed. Resistance to aphids is good.

This new cultivar was tested hardy in the United States Department ofAgriculture Hardiness Zones 5 through 10, which is comparable to theAmerican Horticultural Society heat zones 10 through 4.

1. A hardy, new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant is claimed,substantially as herein illustrated and described, having semi-double,yellow flowers normally edged with a shade of red when growth in fullsun and borne on a low growing plant, having many prickles.